Toy animal



Jan- 18, 1927- s. CONLON TOY ANIMAL Original Filed July 5. 1922 2 Shets-Sheet 1 vi the as Ja 1927' c, s. CONLON TOY ANIMAL Original Filed July :5. 1922 2 Sheets-She 2 {Inge/n ['01 6'. 5. Emma/v Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES s. oonLoN, or PQRTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM B. swm'r, or WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS.

TOY ANIMAL.

Application filed July 3, 1922, Serial No. 572,621. Renewed September 20, 1926.

My invention relates to toy animals and the present disclosure thereof is directed more particularly to a simulation of an alligator, the object being to provide a simple and inexpensive toy which can be drawn along a floor or other supporting surface and which will move its legs, tail and jaw in a life-like manner, provision also being preferably made for intermittently illuminating the eyes.

lVith the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a top view, partially broken away, showing a toy alligator constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with one of the rear legs in section.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the connected head and tail sections of the toy.

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation partly in section, showing the manner of mounting and operating the movable jaw.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the open work frame which extends between the head and tail sections and is covered to represent the body of the animal.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective of a portion of the openwork frame.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view as indicated by line 7 -7 of Figure 3.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates a suitably constructed head section supported by a pair of wheels 2 on a cranked axle 3, the latter being mounted in suitable bearings 1 which are preferably formed by driving screw eyes into pegs 5 which are driven into the lower side of the head section as shown clearly in Figure 7. The axle 3 is provided between the wheels 2. with a central crank 6 and is equipped with other cranks 7 beyond said wheels, said last named cranks being slidably received in screw eyes or the like 8 carried by front legs 9 which are pivotally connected with the head-section 1 by any preferred means such as the ball and socket joints 10, which may be of any desired construction. The central crank 6 co acts with a suitable downward extension or tappet 11 on a movable lower jaw 12 with which the head section 1 is provided, said jaw being by preference hung loosely on a piece of elastic 13 passing through a screw eye 14 as detailed in Figure 1. The jaw is normally lowered as shown in this figure but each time the crank 6 strikes the extension '11, said jaw is raised. It will be seen that while this 0 is taking place, the cranks 7 are moving the front legs 9 in a life-like manner. Also,

I prefer to provide a pair of electric lights 15 which form eyes for the head section 1 and means are employed to intermittently illuminate these lights. In the present showing, a pair of spring tongues 16 and 17 ar mounted on the lower side of the head section 1, the tongue 16 being normally spaced downwardly from the tongue 17 but said tongue 16 is positioned in the path of travel of the central crank 6, the result being that each time this crank rotates, it springs said tongue upwardly against the tongue 17. The two tongues, acting in this manner, constitute a switch which is suitably wired to the electric lights 15 and a battery or other source of current supply 18. One of the spring tongues, preferably tongue 17, is mounted so that it may be swung out of the so path of the tongue 16 as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3, so that supply of the current to the electric lights 15 may be discontinued whenever desired.

Spaced in rear of head section 1, is a pel- 35 vis and tail section 19, the two sections being connected by a reach rod 20 which is loosely pivoted to the section 19 as indicated at 21, and may also be pivoted at 22 to the head section 1 if desired. \Vhile the pivots are such as to prevent vertical oscillation of the tail and pelvis section 19, free horizontal swaggering of said tail and pelvis section is permitted. This section is supported by a wheel 23 whose axle 24. extends opera-- tively beyond opposite sides of said section and is provided with opposed cranks 25 having loose connections 26 with back legs 27. the latter being connected in any suitable manner with the section, as indicated at 28. Elastic and screw eyes are preferably employed for these connections 28 as well as for the connections 10 above referred to. When the toy is drawn along a floor or other supporting surface, for instance by means of a cord 29 attached to the head section 1. it will be seen that the cranked axle 24 will cause life-like movement of the rear legs 27 while the axle 3 is operating the parts carried by the head section in the manner above set forth.

The main body portion of the animal is represented by an openwork frame 30 in reach rod 21 as detailed most clearly in Figure 6. By this arrangement, weight of the frame and its covering is taken from the section 19, so that free lateral movement of the latter is not interfered with as the toy is drawn along the floor or the like.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that although my invention is of rather simple and inexpensive nature, it will bi very amusing and will simulate the movements of a full sized alligator in a life-like manner. I wish it understood however, that although I have illustrated my invention as a toy alligator, it isnot restricted entirely to representing an animal of this character. Furthermore, within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may of course be made;

I claim:

1. A toy animal comprising a relatively movable body having a pelvis and tail section free to swing from side to side, legs pivotally connected with the pelvic portion of said section, a wheel supporting said section, and opposed cranks driven by said wheel and connected operatively with said legs for moving the latter in a life-like manner.

2. A toy animal comprising a body having a movable jaw, movable front legs, a pelvis and tail section pivoted for swinging from side to side, and back legs movably connected with the pelvic portion of said section; and means for simultaneously operating all of said legs and said jaw in a life-like manner.

3. A toy animal comprising a body having a movable jaw, movable front legs, a pelvis and tail section pivoted for swinging from side to side, and back legs movably carried by the pelvis portion of said section; supporting wheels for said body, and means operated by said wheels for simultaneously operating all of said legs and said jaw in a life-like manner.

4. A structure as specified in claim 3; together with electric lights representing eyes and means for automatically illun'iinating said electric lights at intervals.

5. A toy animal comprising a body including a movable part, an axle extending crosswise of and beyond said part, said axle being bent at points beyond said body to form cranks, legs pivoted to said part, connecting means at the outer ends of the legs with which the free ends of the axle are slidably and pivotaliy connected, and a wheel mounted on said axle for driving it.

6. A toy animal embodying a head section having a mouth composed of an upper stationary jaw and a lower'pivoted jaw gravity influenced away from it, a depending abutment carried by the lower jaw, electric lights on said head representing eyes, current supply means for said lights including a switch mounted on said head, and a crank shaft mounted on said head section and having its cranked portion disposed to successively en gage the switch and abutment.

7. A toy animal comprising a central openwork frame, a movable head section extending into one end of the frame, and a movable pelvis and tail section extending into the rear end of the frame, a reach rod extending through said frame, and vertically disposed pivots connecting the rod at its opposite ends to said sections to maintain them in the same horizontal plane, but to permit them to swing from side to side.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES S. CONLON, 

